Traffic and Transportation Plan - GPI

Appendix C-2

February 2011
Project No. 0092352

Environmental Resources Management Southwest, Inc.

206 East 9th Street, Suite 1700
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 459-4700
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GPI
80 WOLF ROAD
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ALBANY, NY 12205 ALBANY, NY 12205
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CONSULTING ENGINEERS CONSULTING ENGINEERS

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80 WOLF ROAD
GPI
80 WOLF ROAD
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ALBANY, NY 12205 ALBANY, NY 12205
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CONSULTING ENGINEERS CONSULTING ENGINEERS

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GPI
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GPI
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ALBANY, NY 12205 ALBANY, NY 12205
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CONSULTING ENGINEERS CONSULTING ENGINEERS

GPI
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80 WOLF ROAD
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ALBANY, NY 12205 ALBANY, NY 12205
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GREENMAN-PEDERSEN GREENMAN-PEDERSEN
CONSULTING ENGINEERS CONSULTING ENGINEERS

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CONSULTING ENGINEERS CONSULTING ENGINEERS

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80 WOLF ROAD
GPI
80 WOLF ROAD
SUITE 300 SUITE 300
ALBANY, NY 12205 ALBANY, NY 12205
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GPI
80 WOLF ROAD
GPI
80 WOLF ROAD
SUITE 300 SUITE 300
ALBANY, NY 12205 ALBANY, NY 12205
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GPI
80 WOLF ROAD
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 D. Evaluation of Culverts

There are several culverts located along the proposed regional haul routes and
local delivery routes that could be impacted by the OS/OW vehicles. GPI
transportation engineers met with representatives from NYSDOT, Jefferson
County and the Town of Cape Vincent to discuss the haul routes and local
delivery routes along roadways under their jurisdiction. The routes chosen were
selected to avoid traveling across bridges/culverts that have posted or known
weight restriction. Jefferson County provided GPI with culvert and bridge
inspection reports for many of the county and town roads expected to be used
during construction in the Town of Cape Vincent. The reports indicated that 2
culverts and 1 bridge have visual signs of deterioration and are noted as follows:

A culvert located on County Route 4 (approximately 160 ft west of County Route

8) shows deterioration on the headwall and wingwall.

A culvert located on County Route 8 (approximately 1000 ft south of Macomb

Settlement Road) shows moderate spalling on the headwall and wingwall.

A bridge located on Hell Street (approximately 3700 ft north of County Route 4)

shows galvanized coating deterioration below the spring lines.

The culvert located on County Route 4 (approximately 160 ft west of County

Route 8) is the only location along a regional haul route or local delivery route.
This culvert should be investigated further prior to construction to determine if
adequate capacity exists or if replacement should be considered. If replacement is
not considered feasible, alternate routes which avoid the suspect culvert should be
established for delivery of the OS/OW equipment. The other culvert and bridge
listed is provided for informational purposes only and is not expected to be used
for the transport of OS/OW components during construction.

E. Evaluation of Bridges

Improvements to bridges along the proposed regional haul routes and local
delivery routes are not expected to be required. NYSDOT provided input on
established OS/OW haul routes which avoid bridges along state highways that
have size or weight restrictions. Jefferson County and the Town of Cape Vincent
provided input on posted or restricted bridges along their roadways within the
project area. The selection of proposed haul routes and local delivery routes
considered bridges that were posted with restricted capacities and alternative
routes were subsequently chosen. The proposed regional haul routes and local
delivery routes do not traverse any bridges that are posted with weight
restrictions.

Cape Vincent Wind Power Project

Engineering and Construction Services Traffic and Transportation Plan - Page 35
 F. Potential Additional Evaluations

The improvements required to facilitate construction of the project will likely

generate the need for additional studies and permits. Additional studies could
include:
Pavement Evaluation – a pavement evaluation could be used to determine
the condition of the existing roadways by establishing a baseline for
measuring impacts caused during construction.
Culvert Evaluation – a culvert evaluation could be performed to determine
the existing condition of culverts and ensure the safety of OS/OW loads
traveling over the culverts.
Bridge Evaluation – a bridge evaluation could be performed to determine
the existing condition of bridges and ensure the safety of OS/OW loads
traveling over the bridges.

G. Permits Required

The required improvements including intersection widening, extending culverts

and transporting OS/OW loads will require various permits. Permits from
NYSDOT, Jefferson County and the Town of Cape Vincent will be required to
complete the improvements and transport the components. Permits which will be
required are as follows:
Environmental Permits – site specific analyses of environmental
conditions will determine the need for permits at a particular location. Due
to the nature of the area, it’s anticipated the wetland permits will be
required at several locations.
Highway Work Permit – a highway work permit will be required for
intersection improvements and proposed entrances to State, County and
Local roadways.
Special Hauling Permits – special hauling permits will be required for
transporting the OS/OW components to the project area. Permits will be
required from NYSDOT and Jefferson County.

Cape Vincent Wind Power Project

Engineering and Construction Services Traffic and Transportation Plan - Page 36
8.0 PRE-CONSTRUCTION CONDITIONS

A. Pre-Construction Road Conditions

On November 17-18, 2008, two GPI transportation engineers performed a cursory

visual inspection of the proposed haul routes and roadway network. Their
inspection included identifying any restrictions that would be encountered along
the haul routes, more specifically identifying any overhead utilities or
obstructions, identifying any intersections which may require modifications or
improvements and observing the general pavement and drainage conditions of the
roadways along the haul routes.

All of the NYS Highways including NYS Routes 3, 12, 12E, 12F, 13, 37, 104,
104B, 180 and 342 were all constructed using asphalt pavement. The shoulder
widths along these highways vary from 4 - 10 feet while the pavement width
varies from 20 - 24 feet. The asphalt pavement was in fair to good condition
according to the 2006 NYSDOT Highway Sufficiency Ratings. A fair rating
indicates that pavement distress is clearly visible whereas a good rating indicates
that distress symptoms are beginning to show. The visual inspection performed by
GPI confirmed that some of the routes show pavement distress beginning, usually
in the form of surface cracking. The NYS highways mentioned in this analysis
have been maintained as most of the cracking observed had been sealed to prevent
further degradation.

The Jefferson County Highways expected to be used during construction are

County Routes (CR) 4, 8 and 9. CR 9 consists of two 10-foot wide travel lanes
and 3-foot wide gravel shoulders. Field observations noted the asphalt pavement
was in fair to good condition. Some longitudinal alligator cracking was noted
which had been recently sealed. CR 8 consists of two 10-foot wide travel lanes
and 4-foot wide gravel shoulders which appeared to be in good condition. CR 4
consists of a 20-foot pavement width for two-way travel with no shoulders and
was in poor condition with visible potholes and structural problems. It appeared
that a recent micro overlay of the asphalt pavement has been performed, however
the structural problems were still clearly evident. The county roads are expected
to be utilized as part of the haul routes for the OS/OW materials which could
result in structural damage to county roads which already show significant signs
of deterioration.

The use of the local town roads listed under Local Routes will be utilized to gain
access to WTG locations. Some OS/OW vehicles will need to travel on local town
roads to deliver materials and WTG components to proposed locations. Typically
local town roads are not constructed to the specifications of a state highway
because they are not expected to accommodate similar types of vehicles or high
volumes. Therefore, they are more prone to adverse impacts caused by OS/OW
Cape Vincent Wind Power Project
Engineering and Construction Services Traffic and Transportation Plan - Page 37
 vehicles and an increase in volume caused by construction vehicles. The town
roads expected to be used during development were constructed with asphalt
pavement, although some sections of Hell Street, Wilson Road and Merchant
Road were constructed with crushed gravel. Many of the town roads are
approximately 18 feet wide with 5-foot wide shoulders for two-way traffic.

B. Pre-Construction Culvert Conditions

There are several culverts located along the proposed regional haul routes and
local delivery routes. GPI transportation engineers met with representatives from
NYSDOT to discuss possible regional haul routes to the project area. The routes
ultimately selected avoided culverts/bridges with weight restrictions.

A GPI transportation engineer met with representatives from Jefferson County

and the Town of Cape Vincent to discuss the regional haul routes and local
delivery routes along roadways under their jurisdiction. The routes chosen were
selected to avoid traveling across bridges/culverts that have posted or known
weight restrictions. Jefferson County provided GPI with culvert and bridge
inspection reports for many of the county and town roads expected to be used
during construction in the Town of Cape Vincent. The reports indicated that 2
culverts and 1 bridge have visual signs of deterioration. Only the culvert located
on County Route 4 (approximately 160 ft west of County Route 8) will be utilized
under the recommended haul or delivery routes. This culvert should be
investigated further prior to construction to determine if adequate capacity exists
or if replacement should be considered.

C. Pre-Construction Bridge Conditions

The proposed regional haul routes include a number of bridges which the OS/OW
loads will travel over. Regional haul routes were selected to avoid traveling over
bridges which have capacity or clearance restrictions. No impacts are expected for
the bridges located along the regional haul routes.

Local delivery routes were selected to avoid traversing bridges which have
capacity or clearance restrictions. There is a bridge located along County Route 4
approximately 1,700 feet east of Wilson Road which is posted for 18 tons. The
local delivery routes recommended in this study avoid the restricted bridge and
utilize alternate routes to transport OS/OW components to individual turbine
locations. It is recognized that since this study was initiated the bridge has been
replaced with a new structure however, the load ratings were not known at the
time of this analysis therefore, this analysis still assumes that this bridge will not
be utilized.

Cape Vincent Wind Power Project

Engineering and Construction Services Traffic and Transportation Plan - Page 38
9.0 SCHEDULING OF DELIVERIES

There are several considerations which must be taken into account when planning
the schedule of deliveries to the project area as local travel patterns are subject to
seasonal influences. During the winter months, severe weather conditions can
limit road access, as well as functional road width. During the summer months,
the region experiences a significant increase in tourism-related traffic. In addition,
commuting traffic and school bus schedules should be considered to avoid
potential impacts to these time-sensitive motorists.

It is expected that construction activities related to the project will coincide with
the peak seasonal travel and some overlap with the school year is anticipated.
Early strategic planning will be required to minimize the disruptions to motorists.
To the maximum extent feasible, BP Wind Energy should construct roadway and
intersection improvements along major arterials during the non-recreational
season and establish an equipment staging area that contains enough capacity to
minimize the amount of equipment deliveries into the area which would take
place during the recreational season.

The delivery of OS/OW components and materials will likely follow one of the
proposed regional haul routes to access the project area. The proposed haul routes
for OS/OW components and materials were selected to minimize disruptions to
motorists and residents. Local school officials and emergency response
representatives will be notified in advance of temporary closures or traffic
restrictions required to improve intersections to accommodate OS/OW loads or
cross roadways with utility lines.

It is expected that equipment and materials will be delivered to the site during
normal construction hours. The heavy equipment and materials needed for site
access, site preparation and foundation construction are typical of road
construction and do not pose unique transportation considerations. The delivery of
OS/OW turbine components will create the greatest impact to motorists as these
large transport vehicles will be slow moving and will require additional time to
navigate turns. The deliveries of OS/OW components have the potential to inhibit
operations along the major two-lane highways (NYS Route 12) during peak hours
and deliveries of such OS/OW turbine components should be limited to off-peak
hours to minimize the disruption to motorists. According to NYSDOT Traffic
Count Hourly Reports for NYS Route 12, which is located along the regional haul
routes, the peak hours occur on weekdays from 7-9 AM and 4-6 PM.

Cape Vincent Wind Power Project

Engineering and Construction Services Traffic and Transportation Plan - Page 39
10.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The following actions are recommended to minimize the transportation impacts of

the development of the Cape Vincent Wind farm:

1. Follow the regional and local routes identified in this report for the
delivery of wind turbine components.

2. Make improvements to the impacted intersections as noted to

accommodate the wide turning paths of the component delivery vehicles.

3. Schedule the delivery of components requiring Oversize/Overweight

vehicles to off peak hours to the extent possible.

4. Schedule the construction of roadway and intersection improvements to be

completed prior to the summer tourist season to the extent possible

5. Enter into a roadway agreement with Jefferson County and the Town of
Cape Vincent to document the roadway pavement degradation caused by
construction and delivery vehicles and restore the pavement to the
preconstruction conditions.

6. Provide this report to the selected hauling company to be used as a guide

for a detailed route evaluation.

The implementation of these recommendations will minimize the transportation

impacts of the construction of the Cape Vincent wind farm.

Cape Vincent Wind Power Project

Engineering and Construction Services Traffic and Transportation Plan - Page 40
 Proposed Project Site
11/18/10

²
LEGEND

Project Boundary

E
0 0.125 0.25 0.5 0.75 1
Miles

UTM NAD83 Zone 18 MetersF

NOTES:

Parcel Data from Jefferson County, New York

USGS 1:24K TopoQuad Background

BP Wind Energy NA does not guarantee the completeness or

accuracy of information contained on the map (including third
party data). The data was compiled from the best sources available.

**Information Subject to Change 11/18/10 **

**PROPRIETARY & CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION**

This drawing is proprietary information owned by
BP Wind Energy NA, Inc. and is intended to be
held CONFIDENTIAL. Any unauthorized reproduction
or distribution is prohibited.

Jefferson County, NY

Figure 1
Preliminary

Cape Vincent
Wind Farm
Proprietary & Confidential
 Proposed Project Site & Facilities
11/18/10

²
LEGEND
85
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Access Roads
86
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Laydown Yard
82
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! NOTES:

Parcel Data from Jefferson County, New York

63 USGS 1:24K TopoQuad Background
34 !
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! 23
! ! BP Wind Energy NA does not guarantee the completeness or
accuracy of information contained on the map (including third
22 ! 35 60 party data). The data was compiled from the best sources available.
! 30
! !
!
**Information Subject to Change 11/18/10 **
19 61
! !
31
55 !
! **PROPRIETARY & CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION**
This drawing is proprietary information owned by
24 56 BP Wind Energy NA, Inc. and is intended to be
! 49
! held CONFIDENTIAL. Any unauthorized reproduction
or distribution is prohibited.
!
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11
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Cape Vincent
Wind Farm
Proprietary & Confidential